1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improving an energy consumption efficiency generally typified by the concept of a fuel consumption or the like, and more particularly to an energy consumption efficiency improving agent which is applied to a surface to be brought into contact with ground (hereinafter referred to as “grounding surface”) of a tire of a vehicle, a footwear, and so on. Further, the present invention also relates to an energy consumption efficiency improving method and an article improved in energy consumption efficiency.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, especially after the so-called first oil shock in 1973, automakers have made efforts to improve the energy consumption efficiency of autos generally typified by the concept of fuel consumption or the like as the most important issue, and it is well known that American, Japanese and European automakers have recently paid attention to the improvement of the fuel consumption, etc. as an issue of protection of the globe environment. It has hitherto been said that in the case of vehicles, the major factors affecting the fuel consumption and their contribution rates are the rolling resistance of tires (contribution rate: ⅓), the frictional resistance in a power plant including an engine (contribution rate: ⅓), and the air resistance of a body (contribution rate: ⅓), although the distribution rates greatly vary depending on the drive speed, and so on. Thus, the automakers have dealt with the respective major factors in various manners to improve the fuel consumption.
For example, means for reducing the rotation resistance of tires includes reducing the number of grooves provided in the tire surface, using a hard rubber material for tires, or reducing the car body weight to decrease hysteresis loss due to deformation of the tire rubber during traveling (or driving); means for reducing the frictional resistance of the power plant includes changing the fuel injection method to improve the engine combustion efficiency or changing the structure of a rotation transmission section to increase the power transmission efficiency; and means for reducing the air resistance of the body includes designing the appearance of a car body or an outer attachment such as a side mirror in a shape with less air resistance.
However, although these means for improving fuel consumption are large in scale, their fuel consumption improving effect is insufficient.
On the other hand, in order to make the consumption of physical energy as less as possible when a man travels a long distance by a bicycle or walks or runs on a long distance with a footwear such as shoes, bicycle makers, shoemakers, or the like have made efforts to reduce the weight of bicycle, shoes, etc. or changed the material, shape, structure, etc. of a grounding surface of a bicycle tire, shoes, etc., thereby improving the adhesion to the ground.
As described above, the conventional means for improving energy consumption efficiency such as fuel consumption includes large scale means such as reduction in a car body weight, change of a tire shape, a fuel injection method, or a power transmitting method, etc. and relies on the effort of automakers, bicycle makers, shoemakers, and so on. If a consumer oneself wishes to improve energy consumption efficiency such as fuel consumption, he will have to replace his car or a component thereof such as a tire with a new car or component improved in energy consumption efficiency, which will result in considerable disbursement. Further, when a consumer uses, e.g., tires with less grooves as means for reducing the rolling resistance of tires for the purpose of improving energy consumption efficiency, the use of such tires exhibits the effect of improving the energy consumption efficiency such as fuel consumption on a dry road surface in a fine weather. However, the use of such tires in a rainy weather, or on a wet or frozen road surface will give rise to a slip and is dangerous, so that it is necessary to replace such tires with tires having a sufficient number of grooves formed in their surfaces. This forces the consumer to select and adopt a suitable means for improving the energy consumption efficiency depending upon the use environment, which necessitates considerable labor, expense, and the like. Therefore, simple, inexpensive means for improving the energy consumption efficiency such as fuel consumption that is available for an ordinary consumer is limited to, for example, paying attention so as not to be involved in traffic congestion, or avoiding unnecessary acceleration when driving a car.
Further, when a man travels a long distance on a bicycle or walks or runs on a long distance with a footwear such as shoes, the countermeasure for avoiding unnecessary consumption of physical energy is limited to buying and use of a bicycle, shoes, etc. having a light weight and good adhesion to a road surface, which also necessitates a great expense.